HDTV in the near future?

[scubasteve2001]

For anyone thats knowledgable about HDTV, please answer some questions for me

This May there is a "deadline" what exactly is it?
I believe its that stations have to broadcast 50% of their programs in HDTV, right? Do they have to broadcast in 1080i, or can they use 720p? (basically 1080i isn't the DEFINATE standard, but it will probably end up adopted by most everyone, right?)

Once this deadline happens, is it going to affect the prices of TVs at all? Are we going to see a drop in prices as they become more mainstream?

TVs such as Sony Wega's, are still only 480i right, they are just using a really nice comb filter to make the picture look nicer? What about Sony XBR?

DVDs are only 480p, so what does a progressive DVD player do? Somehow change the video to 1080i??


hmm...ok I think thats most of my questions.
Thanx for taking the time to answer any of em

 

[breezeman]

<< For anyone thats knowledgable about HDTV, please answer some questions for me

This May there is a "deadline" what exactly is it?

I believe its that stations have to broadcast 50% of their programs in HDTV, right? Do they have to broadcast in 1080i, or can they use 720p? (basically 1080i isn't the DEFINATE standard, but it will probably end up adopted by most everyone, right?)

I think that stations can broadcast HD in whatever format they want. Stations want to option to transmit multiple -lower quality signals on the one channel using digital technology. Twighlight infomercials for example.

Once this deadline happens, is it going to affect the prices of TVs at all? Are we going to see a drop in prices as they become more mainstream?

Economics. HDTV advocate are pushing the standard to accelerate programming, and eventually sales of HD production equipment, and televisions. Once sales pick up, mass production will pick up, and prices will drop.

TVs such as Sony Wega's, are still only 480i right, they are just using a really nice comb filter to make the picture look nicer? What about Sony XBR?

You need to look for the HDTV logo. Wega is a Sony branding effort. Wega sets come in both NTSC only, and HDTV ready (HDTV monitor). HDTV Monitors do not have HD tuners, but instead have component inputs that will accept a baseband signal from an external HD tuner. Currently, the majority of sets are HDTV monitors, only a handfull have HD tuners built in.

DVDs are only 480p, so what does a progressive DVD player do? Somehow change the video to 1080i??

The "p" in 480p stands for progressive, as in progressive scan. Normal televisions (NTSC standard) use interlaced scanning, or 480i. So, a progressive scan DVD player offers better quality when combined with an HDTV monitor. Progressive scanning offers a better picture by most opinions because interlaced flicker is non-existent. Base DVD players output 480i.

1080i is considered true HD because the resolution is so, high, 720p is ok, and 480p is the lowest, and not actually considered HDTV (yet it is better than 480i). FOX used 480p for the Superbowl, and got a bunch of flack from the HDTV community. While 480i offered a widescreen format, the HD folks think FOX is just not stepping up to the plate.

hmm...ok I think thats most of my questions.
Thanx for taking the time to answer any of em >>



Hope this helps. HD is great, but currently its availability is limited. Available only major markets from the big networks using an antenna, on DirecTV which offers HBO and HDNet, and The Dish Network also offers Showtime in HD.

-B

 

[yakko]

HDTV is suck.